Auldridge passes away

Saturday, December 29, 2012 – Mike Auldridge, a leading resophonic player and member of the Seldom Scene, died this morning, 1 day short of his 74th birthday in Silver Spring, Md. of cancer.

Born in Washington, D.C., Auldridge began playing guitar at 13 with Josh Graves a key influence. Graves also sold him his first Dobro. A graphic artist, Auldridge started playing music full-time when his employer, the Washington Star-News, folded in 1976.

Auldridge was a founding member of the Seldom Scene, a leading bluegrass band in the Washington area. He also played with Darren Beachley and The Legends of the Potomac bluegrass band, Emerson and Waldron, Cliff Waldron and the New Shades of Grass, Chesapeake and John Starling and Carolina Star, which featured three original members of The Seldom Scene. He also toured with Lyle Lovett and Emmylou Harris.

CD reviews for Seldom Scene

From its inception in the early 1970s, the Seldom Scene has been one of the most consistently interesting and quietly progressive bands in modern bluegrass. This 14-track compilation highlights the band's classic original lineup of mandolinist John Duffey, guitarist John Starling, Dobro star Mike Auldridge, banjoist Ben Eldridge (the lone original member in today's roster) and bassist Tom Gray.
The puzzling thing about this compilation is why it exists. The Seldom Scene released 8 »»»

Editorial: Walking the talk –
When names like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Waylon and the Hag are invoked, you're talking hard core country. These are the touchstones of country , the guys who made country music what it was and still is (or maybe can be). When these folks would sing about being down-and-out and the rough-and-tumble, they knew of what they were singing about. Fast forward a few years to the country singers of today. »»»

Concert Review: Gibson Brothers join "Brotherhood" in style –
The idea of releasing "Brotherhood" by veteran bluegrass band The Gibson Brothers was a natural. The disc paid tribute to a long list of brother acts including the Everlys and lesser known acts like the York Brothers and the Four Brothers.
While the younger Gibson, Leigh, sure gave Eric a ton of grief throughout the show - all in jest, of... »»»

Concert Review: Moorer, Gauthier pull for each other –
In their own right, Allison Moorer and Mary Gauthier did not really need the other because each is most capable of headlining.
But in one of those geniuses of booking, fans had the chance to see the two in a most enjoyable and alternative setting - a good, old-fashioned guitar pull.
That meant that the two were seated in comfortable chairs on... »»»

Young bluegrass artist Nathan Stanley doesn't fall far from the branches of the family tree; he honors the legacy of his grandfather, Dr. Ralph Stanley, by delivering straight ahead traditional bluegrass music, interpreting old classics that have shaped him and his music. At the same time, young Stanley is an original, refusing to sing the old songs in the ways they've been performed before. "If it's been done," he says, "I don't think I'll do it that way."... »»»

Eric Gibson, the elder (by less than a year) of the award winning, New York-born Gibson Brothers says that the new Rounder release by he and brother Leigh, "Brotherhood," was more than a decade in the making. "It seemed like every time we'd get ready to do a new record, we'd have a batch of new songs that we felt we needed to get out there...but (Leigh) really pushed me on this... »»»